Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 23, 1938., E. HEI'TMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1955 INVENTOR. EDWQRD lis/T www j Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward Heitman, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Nash-Kelvinator Corpo-- ration, Detroit, Mich., a .corporation of, Maryland Application May 31, 1935, Serial No. 324,317"k Z Claims.

My invention pertains to heat exchangers and more particularly to a device for applying a refrigerant to cool water.

It is an object of my invention to provide an efficient water cooler of compact easily assembled construction comprising a cylindrical tank shell enclosing concentrically disposed baille shields projecting from a closed end of the tank shell for intimate association with helical concentrically disposed coils of conduit projectingv thereof*z will best be understood from the followv ing description of a specic embodiment, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the exchanger assembly;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View on line IIL-III thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my heat exchanger unit comprises a cylindrical tank shell I or enclosing casing which is open at the upper end and closed at the lower end by a concave bottom wall 3. The open end of the tank shell is closed by an end plate 5 of substantially rigid construction which is pushed into the end of the tank shell I the outer edges of which are spun over the edge of the end plate and hermetically secured thereto as by soldering or welding for example.

Enclosed within the tank shell I is a pair of refrigerant evaporator expansion coils 'I and 9 of helical formation. One of the coils 9 is of smaller diameter than the other l and is concentrically disposed therein having its bottom end connected outwardly through a conduit II with the lower end of the larger coil. The two interconnected expansion coils I and 9 are preferably coiled from one piece of conduit.

The larger coil l snugly engages the inner surface of the tank shell I and the uppermost end I3 of the larger coil is angularly turned to provide an inlet connection extending perpendicularly through the end plate 5 and at its outermost end carries a pipe coupling fixture I5 by which it may be connected to any suitable source of vaporizable liquid refrigerant. The upper end 5- Il of the smaller coil 9 is likewise angularly turned to pass perpendicularly through the end plate 5 and it is provided with a suitable pipe coupling xture I9 comprising an outlet connection whereby it may be connected to a suitable -10 suction line for drawing the vaporized refrigerant vapor therefrom.

For guiding the flow of water in intimate heat exchange relation between the spaced turns of the outermost expansion coil 'l I have provided 15 a cylindrical baille sleeve 2| which is disposed in concentric engaging relation inside of the turns oi the larger coil l. The upper end of the baille sleeve 2| is provided wtih chord-like flattened portions 23 and 25. The refrigerant inlet 20 connection I3 is extended through the space between tank shell I and the flattened portion 25.

A water inlet connection 2l is mounted in the end plate and disposedv between the outer shell and the other flattened portion of the baille sleeve 25 for admitting the water or other iluid which is to be cooled by passing it through the heat exchanger. To deect the cooled fluid in intimate heat exchange relation around the turns of the smaller expansion coil, a smaller and shorter 30 cylindrical baille sleeve Z9 is concentrically disposed in engaging relation with the inside of the smaller refrigerant coils 9. The two baille sleeves 2l and 29 are rigidly secured to the bottom wall 3 of the tank by means of metallic strips 3I 35 preferably welded thereto and having up-turned ends 33 which extend in flat abutting relation along the edges of the sleeves to which they may be secured, as by welding for example. A water outlet conduit 38 extending through the center of 40 the end plate 5 passes axially into the tank and opens adjacent the bulged bottom wall 3 thereof thus removing the cold water from the body of water stored inside of the smaller baille sleeve.

The water or other iluid to be cooled, is con- 45 ducted into the upper end of the tank through the inlet fixture 2l, whence it passes between the larger baille sleeve 2| and the shell I of the tank flowing spirally around the channel provided between the spaced turns of the refrigerant expan- 50 sion coils. Since the turns of the outermost eX- pansion coil 'l engage both the shell I of the tank and the larger baille Sleeve 2l a closely restricted spiral water circulating channel 30 is defined therebetween. 56

When the water approaches the bottom of the tank it passes through perforations 3|' provided therein to the annular space 32 enclosed between the two baille sleeves.

After the Water enters the annular space 32 between the two baille sleeves 2| and 29, it passes upwardly therethrough in heat exchange relation with the turns of the smaller expansion coil 9. The flow of water or other fluid to be heated or cooled in the heat exchanger thus parallels the flow of the refrigerant, or other heat absorbing or emitting medium, to which it is to be thermally exposed. The cold Water passing up the annular space overows the inner baille sleeve 29 and passes into the storage chamber 35 inside of the small bale sleeve Where it is stored as a body substantially surrounded by the coils of refrigerant conduit thus isolating it from the ambient temperatures after it has been passed adjacent the refrigerant conduit. When cold water is desired it is withdrawn through the outlet conduit 36 which projects axially into the chamber 36 from the end plate and opens adjacent the bottom of the tank.

The bulged bottom wall 3 of the tank is provided with a suitable pipe coupling 31 for connection with an auxiliary outlet for draining the water from the tank. The inlet and outlet conduit connections may be hermetically sealed to the end walls of the tank in any suitable manner, as by soldering or welding, and the outer surfaces of the tank are preferably covered with heat insulating material as will be readily understood.

It will be seen that I have provided a compact heat exchanger which is of simple rugged easily sealed construction for so associating two fluids that heat is passed between them with a high degree of efficiency.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a fluid cooler a pair of cylindrical baille sleeves disposed in spaced concentric relation, refrigerant evaporating conduit means coiled helically about and in contact with the outer surface of each of said baille sleeves and connected in series relation, and a tank casing disposed in snug fitting relation over the conduit means coiled on the outermost sleeve.

2. In combination in a iluid cooler a pair of cylindrical baiTle sleeves disposed in spaced concentric relation, refrigerant evaporating conduit means coiled helically about the outer surface of each of said baille sleeves and connected in series relation, a tank casing disposed in snug fitting relation over the conduit means coiled on the outermost sleeve, and abutting adjacent ends of the baille sleeves, a cover plate on said casing abutting the opposite end of one of said baiile sleeves, inlet and outlet conduit means opening into the space in said tank casing for circulating fluid in intimate heat exchange relation aro-und said conduit coils.

EDWARD HEITMAN. 

